Tammy Dodson, 58, a Prescott Valley VA healthcare worker who died on Oct. 4, 2026, after suffering catastrophic burns in a backyard fire pit explosion. (Courtesy Kristine Valentine)
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - A 58-year-old Prescott Valley healthcare worker died at a Phoenix burn center a single day before her 59th birthday following a "horrific" backyard fire pit incident involving gasoline — a tragedy her family says left them frantically searching area hospitals after her boyfriend reported a "tragic accident" in a voicemail to out-of-state relatives.
What we know:
Tammy Dodson, a certified nursing assistant at the local Veterans Affairs system, passed away on Oct. 4 at the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health after suffering severe burns across 53% of her body. Her death comes as Prescott Valley police continue to investigate the Sept. 24 explosion at the East Tracy Drive home she shared with her boyfriend.
The incident:
Emergency responders from the Prescott Valley Police Department and the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority rushed to the home around 10:45 p.m. on Sept. 24 after receiving a 911 call reporting a burn victim.
Officers found Dodson lying in the backyard with "catastrophic injuries" that rendered her unable to speak. Her boyfriend, who reportedly poured gasoline onto their fire pit, causing the fuel can to ignite and fly out of his hand, was also injured in the incident. Police officials said his injuries did not require hospitalization.
Unaware of where Dodson had been taken or the severity of her injuries, family members called surrounding police departments and hospitals until officers helped them locate her at the Phoenix burn center.
The most difficult decision
Dig deeper:
Relatives flooded in from Dodson's hometown of Palmdale, California, as well as Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota and across Arizona to keep constant vigil at her bedside, a family member told FOX 10. Dodson remained intubated on a ventilator for nearly ten days, undergoing multiple surgeries and skin grafting procedures while her family held onto hope for a recovery.
Dodson’s condition took a fatal turn after she developed a severe infection. Doctors informed her children, Kenny and Heather Dodson, that if she survived, she faced potential limb amputations, years of painful rehabilitation and unexplained airway swelling that prevented surgeons from safely inserting a tracheostomy tube.
Faced with the reality that she would have no quality of life, her family made the agonizing decision to stop life-sustaining treatment. Surrounded by her loved ones, with her daughter Heather lying beside her, Dodson passed away peacefully on Oct. 4.
‘She was still needed’
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 10, relative Kristine Valentine said that the family is determined to honor Dodson's legacy beyond the gruesome circumstances of her passing.
"I don’t want Tammy’s story to become just another story about a woman who died after a fire," Valentine said. "She was a beautiful soul who didn’t deserve any of this. She was deeply loved by so many people in the community and across states… She was someone you could never imagine something so horrific happening to. She was still needed."
What you can do:
Dodson fought for ten days in the hospital with her family by her side before succumbing to her injuries. Her cousin, Sherry Morean — who is also Dodson’s niece — is helping lead efforts on behalf of Kenny and Heather Dodson through an online fundraiser to help cover mounting medical bills and funeral costs. The campaign was about 10% of its way to an $18,000 goal on Thursday, Oct. 8.
What we don't know:
Police have not publicly identified the injured boyfriend found on the property, nor have officials specified whether criminal charges will be filed or officially confirmed the exact sequence of events leading up to the fire.
Map of where the fire pit fatality occurred:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Jodi Mullins, police community services supervisor for the Prescott Valley Police Department, an interview with Kristine Valentine, a relative of Tammy Dodson, and a family statement attached to a GoFundMe campaign.